Railway-frog



(No Model.)

J. T. RICHARDSON.

RAILWAY PROG. No. 328,810. Patented Oct. 2,0, 1885.

mphfr. wmangwn. u. c.

UNITED STATES ATENT Erica.

JOHN T. RICHARDSON, OF HARRISRURG, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALEXANDER H. EGE, OF MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAI LWAY-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,810, dated October 20, 1885.

Application filed August 2l, 1885.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN TL RicHARDsoN, of Harrisburg, county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Frogs, of which the following'is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a frog that shall combine simplicity and flexibility of structure with durability and efficiency in the performance of its required functions, an end that I attain by the use of clamping-bars, distance orfilling blocks, wedges, and bolts, as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In referring to the drawings, Figure l shows a plan view of my improved frog. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line x x of Fig. 1, taken through the longest clamp longitudinally. Fig 3 is a section on line y g/ of Fig. l, taken through the shorter clamp; Figs. 4 and 5, detached Views on an enlarged scale.

A A are the outer curved or wing-rails of the frog, and B B the inner rails converging to and terminating in the point or tongue b of the frog. rIhe rails constituting the frog rest upon clamping-bars O, of which at least two are used in each structure. Said clamping-bars terminate in flanges c c, that are turned upward to a degree more or less vertical, as shown in Fig. 4. The terminal flanges ofthe clamps are perforated at a point about equidistant from the angles of the base to the ends of the ilanges, for a purpose hereinafter more fully set forth. W'edge-shaped blocks or keys D D are interposed between the flanges of the clamping-bars and the outer surface of the webs d of the wing-rails, as shown. Said keys Dare more or less plano-convex throughout their entire length, and slotted longitudinally for the reception of the binding-bolts e c.

By this construction the keys admit of having their convex sides fitted into the Shanks or longitudinal depressions on the outer sides of the wing-rail A, and their plane sides in close contact with the vertical inner surfaces of the clamping-bars. In line with the slotted perforations of the keys, when in position, the webs of the wing-rails A are also perforated for the reception of the binding-bolts c e.

Upon the vertical edges of the filling-blocks Serial No. 174,986. (No model.)

g g, as shown in Fig. 5, interposed between the outer and inner rails of the frog, depressions or rabbeted seats are wrought, and into these seats the nuts t' rest when the bindingbolts e are in place.

To bind the co-operating parts of the frog together, the bolts c upon each side of the frog are passed through the perforations ot' the upturned flanges of the clamping-bars C, the slot a of the keys D, the contiguous perforation through the webs of the wing-rails A, and the nuts .in the rabbeted seats i of the filling-blocks f, as shown in Fig. 4. The bolts e are then driven home by means of an ordinary wrench or similar appliance, the vertical shoulders of the rabbeted seat g meanwhile performing the function of a nut-lock to prevent the revolution of the nuts z' during the operation or subsequent thereto.

In considering, further, the use of the binding-bolts c e, it is evident that they not only prevent the slipping forward and backward of the clamping bars, wedges, and fillingblocks, but they also perform, in addition, the Very important function of preventing the flanges of the clamping-bars being bent outwardly under the excessive blows of the Sledgehammer in driving forward the keys that may subsequently become necessary to take up the slack that in time is occasioned by the con` stant abrasion of the constituent parts of the frog in contact. In this way, by a very simple device, I am able most successfully to overcome one of the most vital imperfections that has attached to the different forms of clampfrogs heretofore in general use.

I am aware that a bolt vertically placed in connection with a slotted key and clampingbar has been used, and hence I do not claim this combination, broadly; but I do claim that the use of a bolt passing horizontally through the flanges of the clamping-bars, the slotted keys, the webs of the contiguous wing-rails, and terminated at this point by a nut resting in a depression or seat of the adjacent blocklling, is new.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination, with the rails and distance-pieces of a frog, of the clamping-plates In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speoioation in the presence of two sub- Io soribing Witnesses.

JOHN T. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

JN0. B. LANDIs, CHAs. F. HUMRIOH. 

